Inbetween the War
by Ari Niiran
Summary: Okay, I'ts about two young Hybrid women who are half Dragon, half human, are trying to escape the prison in space that their held in, to go to Earth to stop an interspecies war. PG-13 for very light swearing. PLEASE R&R.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE  
  
The war had been going on for about fourteen years. They needed land, and they needed it badly. The weakest planet, so easy to gain but yet, so hard.   
  
Humans were so stubborn.  
  
They never gave up, but they died so easily…and quick, too. Not to mention, they switched sides so moderately. Traitors. They'd give them plans of attack, weapons, everything. All they needed.  
  
It was like throwing a bone to a dog who rolled over.  
  
But, from the Dragon's side, some of their people also betrayed them. Went to help the Humans. Even mated. That's when it all happened. Or when it all began. 


	2. The Beginning

CHAPTER 1: THE BEGINNING  
  
There I sat, calmly awaiting my mother and fathers return, watching to see when they'd come home.  
  
Little did I know how wrong I was.  
  
They'd never come home. That day, I sat there, playing in the sand. With shells, I spelled out, 'I LOVE YOU MOMMY AND DADDY' in the sand.  
  
When they came home, I'd show them.  
  
I was only, after all, four years old.  
  
It was a work of art in my eye. So beautiful. I knew they'd love it. Until the tide came in and washed them away.  
  
I stood there, and tears streamed down my face. Then I started to sob uncontrollably.  
  
My knees buckled as I sat in the turf yelling, "Come back!! Come back!!"  
  
But then, a strong hand came down on my shoulder. A male hand. It helped me to my feet, lifted me up, and carried me away from my house, onto a ship, never to return again.  
  
I awoke startled, and shot up straight. Fourteen years I'd been here. And for fourteen years, every day of my life I had that same dream. The shells drifting away were the last things I saw.  
  
My heart heavy, I stood up and wiped a mixture of sweat and tears from my face. Shaking my head, I went over to the bowl of water by my cot, took a glass of water and drank it.  
  
"Ari, you had that same dream again, didn't you?" came a tired, sleepy murmur from across the room.  
  
"What do you think?" I spat back, not thinking.  
  
She sat up, and indignantly said, "Well you don't have to go shove it down my throat!"  
  
"Sorry, Kiara," I murmured quietly, looking over at her.  
  
Here's her description.  
  
She's pretty and all with long flowing blond hair which people yank to get her attention. Kiara also has big beautiful slanted almond-shaped hazel eyes. They changed color with her mood.  
  
Kiara and I look the same other than the big difference of me having long light blue hair with blond tips and highlights. And my hair is a little shorter. It's only down to my waist. Hers is past her butt.  
  
Oh, ya, another thing we have in common, other than looks, and background traits.  
  
Neither of us were completely human.  
  
We were both half-dragon, half-human.  
  
I know. Weird, huh? Well it's like this, our parents (no, we're not related, though some people swear we're twins!) were different from each other. My mom was human as was her mom. But our dads weren't. They're dragons. They switched sides, joined the humans, met our moms, fell in love and all that kiss-kiss mushy crap. Dad and Kiara's dad were really good humans. They blended in extremely well.  
  
That's why I'm here.  
  
They took me from my home on Earth fourteen years ago. I was four at the time that childish, ignorant faze. I was happy, and stupid. Then I had to come here. I lived in this prison/room/cage/cell. The walls were metal and cold, the floor was cement and I had an iron cot to sleep on. Big deal. At four, I was extremely lonely. Out of old cloth and buttons, I sewed together an ugly big-headed doll that was my make-believe friend. I still keep it now. After a year of me living there, another person, like me as I recall everyone saying, came to live with me. I had a friend!  
  
We grew up together, small and rejected. Then, we were trained. Once we turned six, they did the most horrible thing possible to do to a child.  
  
They made us fight for our lives.  
  
Constant brutal hours of training. Month after month, year after year.  
  
We also had our schooling to deal with.  
  
I mean, come on. They didn't want stupid Warlords.  
  
Yeah, you heard me. Warlords. They were training us to go in the attack against Earth.  
  
This was great for them, but, Kiara and I aren't cold-blooded killers.  
  
So, back to training. Kiara and I had been training partners long before I could remember.   
  
We'd always have to fight, then it was back to here.  
  
"I hate this place!" I cried, walking over to the wall and punching it creating a dent.   
  
It made a loud bong and a huge crash in the next room.  
  
"Ooh," Kiara hissed, cracking a smile, "That was Commander Carl's room!" Kiara cackled at the 'What in tarnation?!' from C. C.'s room.I snickered. "Commander Carl. It sounds like a stupid action figure on Earth." I pranced around the room, acting like Commander Carl, or a wannabe Drill Sergeant, and yelling 'tarnation' at the dirty socks on the floor. What the heck is a 'tarnation' anyway?  
  
Kiara was laughing so hard she was holding her sides.  
  
I tried to stifle my laughter, but I couldn't. Kiara and I were always messing with Commander Carl. We called him rather rude things, and once, we stole a pair of his Barney boxers and hung them on the flag pole. It was hysterical! He turned the color of a beet root. All of his Commanding Officers did all but pee themselves laughing.  
  
Then there was this other time, we poisoned his morning coffee. Instead of a creamer, we put Laxative. He was on the 'John' all day!  
  
I took the blame for most of them.  
  
But, hey, I'm kinda stronger. So I took the punishment, instead.  
  
It was no sweat, anyway. The worst I ever got was the tazer rod. Though, it hurt like nothing before.  
  
But, as it was, Kiara and I were sitting in our little cell/room, laughing. How could anyone still be happy when they were stolen from their home?  
  
"Kiara?" I asked while I stopped laughing.  
  
"What?" she sighed, rolling onto her back and looking up at our barren ceiling.  
  
"Do you remember what it was like on Earth?" I murmured, looking to the ground. Barely anyone on board remembered what it was like there.  
  
"Not really. Do you?"  
  
"Yeah. Just a little." I looked over at her, silently wishing she hadn't asked me.  
  
"Really? What was it like?" She was kind of excited, as one might say.  
  
"I only remember sleeping, eating, and playing in the sand," I whispered, cutting off the part of my rude awakening.  
  
"What was sand like?" Kiara asked, sitting up.  
  
"Sometimes rough, like stiff paper, sometimes wet and mushy, like clay, and sometimes, like sugar, not wet or dry. Just smooth to the feel." I nodded. Yeah, I thought, that just about sums it up.  
  
"That's so weird. We live on cement and metal grounds, while those people on Earth take for granted what they have! They have sand, and grass, and marsh, and all these other types of grounds." Kiara pouted. "It's not fair."  
  
"I can't stand this place. Not to mention, these people actually think I'm going to fight their war for them. Are they out of their minds? Both of them are my people. I can't kill one of them just because the other one is stronger."  
  
"What are you going to do? Start a conspiracy against us?" came a cold voice from across the room. I hadn't even seen the door open. I didn't even have to turn around to know who it was. Lieutenant Menace. No seriously. That was his name. Well, his last name. His first name was Snake. Snake Menace. Pleasant, right?  
  
"Well, well, well," I said sarcastically to the human, rolling my eyes. Almost everybody on board was afraid of him. Human or not. He was scary. But only two people weren't afraid. The soon-to-be Warlords. Yeah, us. Kiara hated him, I loathed him. He's the one. The one that took me from my home. He stole me from Earth. "What have we here? An intruder?" I spat out, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off his feet, a newfound claw against his stomach.  
  
See, what's cool about being half-dragon is that when I'm pissed off enough, I can kind of, morph different parts of my body, Draconian. Or, Dragon like. And every time I see him, I get pissed enough to go full form.  
  
A glint of anger approached his eyes. "You will stand down soldier, or serious matters of death will ensure your kind."  
  
"Was that a threat, or a challenge, for if it is, I accept!" I stated insanely, a mad glint entering my eye.  
  
"Don't, Ari!" Kiara called, grabbing my arm and bringing me back to reality. "Save your breath. This piece of trash isn't worth it."  
  
"You'll regret that, Santua. And you," he spat, glaring at me, "Niiran, you'll regret ever meeting me. I'll separate you two if it's the last thing I do." He straightened himself out and left our room/cell.  
  
"I hate how he uses my last name so freely," I grunted angrily, spitting as he left.  
  
"Just don't worry," Kiara said plainly, glaring as he left. "He can't do much."  
  
"Yeah, it was just another hollowed out threat. Just like always." 


	3. The Principals of Hatred

CHAPTER 2: THE PRINCIPALS OF HATRED  
  
Little did I know how wrong I was.   
  
That night I fell asleep uneasily. I tossed and turned, with an uneasy dream. My usual dream. The short childhood I once loved and cherished.  
  
Then I woke up.  
  
It was a rather rude awakening. I was jerked by my shoulders and I stared at the Commander's face. Commander Carl stared at me with that body builder face, short slits he called eyes and huge nose.  
  
"Wake up," he hollered. Obviously, Snake tipped him off about me beating the wall on his side of the room.  
  
"Get the—!"  
  
"Silence, girl. Our commanding officers have news for you two." Commander Carl yanked me and Kiara to our feet. Kiara was still sleeping. Commander Carl was just as rude and ill-mannered as he was stupid. He raised his hand to slap her across the face, and wake her up, but I had a dangerous claw to his jugular vein and a good kick to the groin. He cried out in pain, tears bursting from his eyes.  
  
"Big baby," I murmured, grabbing Kiara by the shoulders and jerking her sharply. She woke quickly, battle instincts kicking in and held a huge thumb talon to my neck, eyes reptilian. Immediately, when she recognized me, she went back to her normal state.  
  
"Thank you," I said, voice dripping with heavy sarcasm. "Now, duty calls."  
  
When we got to the conference room, Kiara and I sat there quietly, and waited to hear this business.  
  
"Lieutenant Snake Menace," bellowed the ship's captain, or the 'Council's Head Person,' "read the charges."  
  
"Why certainly, Captain," Snake said, slyly. He looked over at me and Kiara, and turned back to a sheet of paper. "As we, the council, all know, Kiara Santua and Ari Niiran, our soon-to-be Warlords, have been living in the same dorm for fourteen years." He glanced over at me with a cocky glance, trickling with evil.  
  
"Where's this leading to?" I inquired impatiently, sending a glare that could put Medusa to shame.  
  
"As you two are now eighteen, it has come to our understanding that you two have become well developed." His gaze swept over us two, taking in everything. I knew he wanted us. Either one. But no way were we going to give in. "The council has decided to give you two new dorms." The look he gave me made me feel that it was time for me to kill him slowly.   
  
I stood to my feet. "You can't do that!" I called, my eyes going reptilian.  
  
"Let him finish," hollered Council Head, rising to his feet to meet my gaze. He quickly sat, realizing true evil's glare easily.  
  
"You two are not related by blood, therefore are not legally liable to stay in the same dorm. And, as for training," his smirk got down right nasty, "you two have been resigned to new partners. It seems you two do not train as hard as you normally would while fighting against each other."   
  
"What?!" Kiara and I roared, as she rose angrily and half our human forms changed.  
  
"You can't do that! I've been her partner for fourteen years!" I screamed with rage, balling my fists and practically flying across the table. I grabbed Snake and lifted him off the ground and held him above my head, glaring.  
  
"That's why we're retiring you two from being partners," Snake said, with a slick smile and tone. The smile dropped quickly.  
  
"I hate you, with a passion," I growled lowly, holding a claw to his throat.  
  
"That's against ships rules, Niiran," said the 'Head,' shaking his head.  
  
Kiara quickly glided over to me and Snake and she sucker-punched him in the stomach, and then in the groin.  
  
"That was against the rules, but I did it anyway!" Kiara screamed in rage, kicking him in the chest so hard that he flew across the room, barely breathing. As she kicked him, we heard a few cracks from his rib cage.  
  
"Lieutenant!" screeched Council Head, running over and shaking him by the shoulders. "You almost killed him!"  
  
"And I will kill him!" I cried in rage, storming over and spitting in Snake's face. Literally. I spit in his face. "Now, say your prayers, jerk off, you're about to fall asleep and never wake up."  
  
Blood was pouring from his forehead, and his ribs. Obviously, Kiara hit him so hard that it broke his skin with the impact. He was bleeding, and bleeding bad. Kiara had punctured one of his lungs when she broke his ribs.  
  
I took a claw, raised it, and almost took off Snakes head, but I was grabbed from behind and slung over someone's shoulder.  
  
"What the hell?!" I yelled in anger, seething. "Who's holding me? Put me down!!" I screamed, kicking.   
  
"Feisty, isn't she, captain?" was the things reply. Obviously, they were ignoring me.  
  
"What took you so long?" Council Head sighed, happy that I wasn't going on a killing spree.  
  
I looked over at Kiara who still hadn't come over to help me. The only problem was, she was unconscious.  
  
"Hey! Kiara! Wake up!" I yelled, reaching over, but she was too far away. I punched whatever was holding me. "What did you do to her?!"  
  
"Give credit where credit is owed!" came a new person's reply. I was getting tired of all these new people just popping out of nowhere.  
  
"What the—? Who are you people?!"  
  
"I tire greatly of this," said the thing holding me. I think it was a he. Well, he jerked his shoulder sharply and I had only enough time to gasp. Then everything went dark. I blacked out.  
  
I woke up suddenly, and blinking I looked around the room.  
  
Then I came to three horrible conclusions.  
  
One: This wasn't my old room.  
  
Two: Kiara wasn't there.  
  
And the worst one…  
  
Three: Lieutenant Snake Menace was here.  
  
I swear I'll get that idiot who stopped me from killing Snake back! I thought, defiantly, sitting up. I glared at Snake.  
  
"Good morning," he cackled, throwing an ugly doll at me.  
  
I caught it, and looked at it, remembering Kiara, my real true friend.  
  
"Where is she?" I screamed, launching myself at him, pinning him against the wall by his neck, eyes reptilian, claws out, and this time, he got me so pissed, that my scaled wings flew out.  
  
I have retractable wings. The scales on the inside were gold and on the outside they were pink. No! Just kidding. The outside scales are black.  
  
"She is in her new dorm," he whispered, fear in his eyes. I then noticed something. His ribs were wrapped heavily in bandages. Obviously, he didn't have the healing ability that dragons possess. "The new rule was passed last night."  
  
He looked so pitiful standing there, unable to move on muscle out of place. He knew I'd do it. I remember the look of pure fear in his eyes as I raised my claw to take his head off.  
  
Then, a new voice.  
  
"Hello, Ari, I'm…oh…dear…gods," was the stunned and sarcastic reply of an unusually attractive male.  
  
He had short blue hair, and green eyes, with a handsome smile and somewhat pointed but round nose. All-in-all, he was drop dead gorgeous.   
  
But one thing got me. The two people he was accompanied by.  
  
One: Some other really cute guy with short black hair and dark blue eyes. He looked about the same, except, he wasn't smiling. He was laughing at Snake.  
  
And the second one was…Kiara!! 


	4. Truly Cherished Moments

CHAPTER 3: TRULY CHERISHED MOMENTS  
  
"Ari, stop," came the blue haired guy's calm reply. He snickered at the pitiful look Snake gave him.  
  
"She's crazy! She'll do it! I swear it, she'll kill me! Get her off me!" he cried, almost screaming when I punched him in the stomach.  
  
"Shut up!" I yelled, and kicked him in the back of his knee, making him fall face flat onto the floor. I dug the back of my heel into his spine, making sure he didn't move.  
  
"Yeah, Ari!! Kick his stupid, idiotic—!" was Kiara's reply, but she was cut off by the cute black haired guy. He had stopped laughing.  
  
"Ari, please, you can't kill him." The blue haired guy.  
  
"Don't be so familiar with my name," I spat, glaring at him. "I'm going to put him out of his misery. Hopefully, he goes to hell!"  
  
"Miss Ari," said the Blue haired guy, this time trying not to be so formal. "Would you please reconsider killing him, now. Wait until he's healed so he'll have a fair advantage."  
  
"How do you have a fair advantage over some crazy thing that's hellbent on killing you?" Snake asked, unbelieving. He put an wonderful emphasis on 'thing.' That really got me pissed. I landed a blow right on the back of his neck. He cried out, and tried to grab his neck, but I yanked his hand away, and squeezed so hard I heard bones cracking from the pressure.   
  
"You will regret that," murmured the Blue haired guy, and the Black haired guy. Then I saw it. Name tags. Excuse me if I don't go staring a guys chest the first time I meet him. It just caught my eye. The name tags were outlined in a ridiculously bright orange. And in black, the blue haired guy's said Tsunaumi. Cool name, I thought, looking at the other cute guy. The black haired one. His said Dies. Yeah. Dies. I think it was pronounced Dee-ez. But at least I knew their names, now. Now I don't have to call them the cute blue haired guy and the cute black haired guy.  
  
"Yes, you will," I hissed, evilly, as I stepped on his hand that I broke, and stood up, looking over at Tsunaumi and Dies. I delivered a sharp and painful kick to Snake's chest and he flew across the room. "Get him out of my sight."  
  
"You messed up big, man," was Dies reply, hardly able to stop himself from cracking up. He dumped Snake into the laundry chute. Snake's last cry we heard was 'Niiran!!'  
  
"So who are you, Mr. Tsunaumi," I asked, turning to him with a tired glance and two hands on my hips, "and what do you want?"  
  
"Well, Miss Ari," he replied, smiling, "I'm your new training partner."  
  
I snickered. Yeah, he was taller than me, but, no way he could defeat me. He couldn't even pull me away from Snake. What's to say I won't kill him in battle.   
  
"You're kidding, right?" I asked quizzically, looking him in the eyes.  
  
"No, Ari," Kiara said, happily, smiling and waving, "he's for real."  
  
"Oh, yeah, Kiara! Hey!" I smiled and ran over and gave her a hug. She returned it. Dies and Tsunaumi looked at us with that little smug look that said 'I know your weakness!'  
  
"So, how's it hanging?" Kiara asked, looking at the not so barren room.  
  
It was full of machinery for exercise, and workout training.  
  
"It's hanging pretty well," I said, letting go. She smiled and sort of bounced around the room, looking at all the stuff. When she came by me, I grabbed her arm.  
  
"Why are you so happy?" I whispered, looking over at Tsunaumi and Dies, who were watching us closely.  
  
"Because," she smiled perversely, "he's cute!" She pointed at Dies. "He's gotta nice butt."   
  
"Ack!! Eww, you're sick!! Why are you staring at his butt?!" I cried, but I whispered the last sentence. I was completely horrified. I looked over at Dies and what she said made me curious. I looked then hit my head and shook it.  
  
"It is nice, isn't it?" Kiara whispered, smiling and nodding. She stared at it, AGAIN!  
  
"Yeah, kinda, sorta, maybe!" She looked at me with a half-glare. "All right, he has a nice butt."  
  
"What's this about the words 'he' and 'has' and 'a' and 'nice' and 'butt'?" Dies asked, from right behind me and Kiara.  
  
"Ack! Where did you come from?" I asked, falling on my butt.  
  
"I only heard that last part," he said, innocently, though, he looked extremely guilty.  
  
"Liar!" Kiara said.  
  
"So, which one has the nice butt?" Dies asked, walking over to Tsunaumi and yanking him around.  
  
"What the—?" Tsunaumi cried, looking at Dies like he was insane.  
  
"Me," he stuck his butt way out, "or him?" He jerked his thumb at Tsunaumi. That caused me to stare. It was really nice. I blushed furiously. Dies had a really nice butt, too. Kiara would kill me if I said that. She was already bent on that guy. Not to mention hellbent on killing Commander Carl.  
  
"Umm…" Kiara 'thought' for a little while. "Dies!! Dies has a nice—!"  
  
"All right, that's enough from you," I said, grabbing Kiara's ear and pulling her away. On our way past Dies, she reached over and pinched him. I walked by at the wrong time. He looked at me with a smug look.  
  
"Feisty, isn't she?" he said, poking my stomach.  
  
"That wasn't me!! That was her!! Honest!!"  
  
"No need for modesty," he said, perversely, smiling. He turned away to talk to Tsuni for a second. Kiara came up behind me, and slipped her arm through mine, to pinch him, again. She pulled back just in time for him to think it was me.   
  
"You really are a feisty one, aren't you?" He smiled. Pervertedly. My eyebrows furrowed.  
  
"Wait a minute. Tsunaumi! Say 'Feisty, isn't she captain.' Now," I demanded, growling.  
  
"Or else what?"  
  
"Or else I'll kill everyone on this ship beside you, Dies, myself, and Kiara."  
  
"Okay, okay. 'Feisty, isn't she captain," he replied dully.  
  
"It's you!!" 


	5. Introductions and New Training Partners

CHAPTER 4: INTRODUCTIONS AND NEW PARTNERS  
  
"What?" he asked, jumping back in alarm and the newfound anger in me.  
  
"You!! I swore I'd get you back!" I cried out, lunging forward and landing a severely painful punch directly to his face. He didn't even see it coming.  
  
"For what?" he cried, grabbing my left fist before it could hit his face again. Then he grabbed my right. "For what?" he demanded, yet again.  
  
I dropped to my knees, and hung my head. "Why did you stop me?" I whispered.  
  
He dropped to one knee, and tried to look at my face. "Maybe if I knew what I did, I might give you the reason."  
  
"You stopped me from killing Lieutenant Snake Menace yesterday morning, at 09:00 hours time. Is that clear enough?" I asked, shaking my head.  
  
"No," he said sarcastically. "I need the exact minute and second, and millisecond."  
  
"Don't test me," I hissed dangerously.  
  
"Not testing! Not testing!" he said, smiling. He still hadn't loosened his grip on my fists.  
  
It's a damn good thing he didn't grab my weak point. Stupid wrists! I thought, closing my eyes, knowing everything going on in the room. My hearing was almost as good as my sight. But, by far, was my sight better. I could see in the dark, in burning flashing white light, in billowing smoke, fire, anything. I had been trained well.  
  
"Well?" I demanded, wanting an answer, or at least an explanation.  
  
"I couldn't stand there and watch the woman I fell," he stopped short, and I lifted my head. I saw he was thinking. "The woman I fell obligated to train in my ways." He sighed. I guess he put it as plainly as he could. "I just couldn't see you slaughtering him. Miss Ari, three wrongs don't make a right."  
  
"But three left's make a right!" I protested, looking up at him in his eyes. I gave a rather intense look, if you ask me. "But seriously, if I kill him, I will right three wrongs."  
  
"He killed your parents. That's two. Where'd you get a three?" He looked confused for a moment, and then he gazed at me. "I see the way he looks at you. What did he do to you?"  
  
"Absolutely nothing that I wouldn't have killed him then and there on the spot. He killed the only sibling I was to have. He destroyed an unborn baby. My baby brother." I folded my arms over my chest and turned away, rocking back and forth. "Today was supposed to be his birthday. October 11. Yes, my family was killed two weeks before my birthday. Happy freakin' birthday." I closed my eyes, one tear slipping from my left eye.  
  
"Okay, let's get off the sad subject, Ari, before you make me cry!" Kiara called, walking up. "And speak of the devil, look who's birthday is in, oh, let me guess, two days!" Kiara said smiling. "You old hag. Nineteen years old. Hag."  
  
She started coughing just the same way an old person would, and like a hunchback, went hobbling around the room.  
  
I started cackling, and I looked at her being stupid. She laughed, and sat down.  
  
"Let's begin our training," Tsunaumi said, smiling and helping Kiara to her feet.   
  
Dies smiled and said, "See ya 'round, Ari. Don't hurt him too bad."  
  
"Shut up," Tsunaumi said, shoving Dies. Dies cackled and led Kiara away.  
  
Before I could leave, Tsunaumi caught my shoulder, and said, while not even looking at me, "I'll help you get him back, Miss Ari. I'll help you get him."  
  
"Will you get off the 'Miss Ari' thing?" I asked, shaking my head. "Tsunaumi, you're one weird person."  
  
"Fine," he said, smiling. "But, for now, it's just Tsuni."  
  
"Okay, Tsuni," I replied, shaking my head. "Let's get cracking."  
  
"No problem," he said, holding his hand out and bowing. His hand swept toward the door, and he said, in a snobby, rich person tone, "Ladies first."  
  
"Oh, shut up!" 


	6. Training

CHAPTER 5: TRAINING  
  
Meanwhile, in Kiara's and Dies training room.  
  
"All right Dies! No mercy for you, no mercy for me! Those are the rules. Give me your all. Don't hold back because I'm a woman," Kiara yelled dangerously.  
  
"So be it, then," Dies said, shaking his head. He threw a sheathed sword at her and it landed point in the ground right in front of her. I don't know how he did it, but he got a sheathed sword in cement ground, standing up straight.  
  
Kiara pulled it out of the sheath, underestimating his strength. "Now, DIE!" she screamed, lunging at him, sword point out, and forced it through his chest. Or…did she? It was actually his after appearance. It faded away quickly, and Kiara was dumfounded. Next thing she knew, she was floating in midair, struggling to move.  
  
"Don't bother," was Dies cocky reply, as he stared at Kiara smiling. "It's a paralysis conjure, that will cause you to float in the air and paralyze you so I can deliver my finishing blow, without any interference."  
  
"Woah, he's hard core," I whispered to Tsuni.  
  
"He's a whole new person on the battlefield," Tsuni said somberly.  
  
"You have only one last move, but if it's sudden, you will be electrocuted," Dies called, floating up to meet her.  
  
As he started up, she made her move. Her middle finger flew up mysteriously.   
  
"Interesting move," Dies said, sarcastically.  
  
What she said next I can't write as I would have to censor it.  
  
"Oops, forgot to paralyze that," Dies said, waving his arm. Her mouth flew shut. "Now, now, such language. Where did you learn that?"  
  
Her eyes glided over to me.  
  
"Oh? Well I'll have to teach her a lesson for teaching you such dirty words." Dies looked at me through the glass window that Tsuni and I were standing at. "Tsk, tsk. That's no way for young woman to act!" With that said, he took a sword raised it, and slammed it into her chest, right through her heart. She gasped, and fell over dead. Her body dropped twenty feet, then hit the ground.  
  
"Oh my gosh!" I screamed, throwing open the door, and running in, screaming. "Kiara!" I ran to her side, and shook her shoulders, looking at her, unbelieving. She lay there, dead. And I could have done something to stop it. Why didn't I help her when I had the chance? I thought, my head screaming.  
  
I started to breathe heavy. I now felt a raw hatred for Dies. He was gonna do what his name told him to do. DIE!!  
  
"YOU WILL PAY!!" I screamed, flying up to meet him. I socked him in the face. "DIE YOU DUMB—!!"   
  
"ARI!"  
  
It was Tsuni. And look who decided to fly up and meet me. He grabbed me by my wrists, twisted them behind my back and pulled me to the opposite side of the room.  
  
"Let go of me!!" I screamed, fidgeting. It really hurt. He had my weak points. He only squeezed harder. "He killed my best friend!"  
  
"Her immortality will kick in, very soon!"  
  
"Immor…tality?" I asked, and just as I asked that, I looked over, and Kiara's body was set in blue flames. When they were out, she sat up, and raised her head to look at Dies, who's nose had stopped bleeding.  
  
"You killed me, though…how is this true?" she asked, just as confused as I was. My body tensed and Tsuni squeezed tighter.   
  
"Do you see?" he asked, loosening his grip, "She's all right."  
  
"How is this humanly possible?" I asked.  
  
"It isn't humanly possible, only your Draconian side can 'bring you back,' " Tsuni explained, resting a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"This is the weirdest, most, impossible, thing I've ever heard!" I cried, staring at Kiara's back, that had no scar or cut. Nothing.  
  
Time's up, you two, the loudspeaker hollered, vibrating. Niiran and Kaanaxiaan, report to the training field, immediately.  
  
"You're last name is Kaanaxiaan?" I asked, my brow furrowing.  
  
"Yes," Tsuni said, quietly. "Is there a problem?"  
  
"Nope. None at all." I smiled and followed him into the training arena. Kiara was now yelling at Dies now.   
  
"Okay," Tsuni said, dropping his normal personality, and getting down to business. "Here," he called, throwing me the same sword. I inspected the blade for any flaws. It was perfect. Smooth, and sleek. Probably could cut through anything.  
  
As I checked the blade for anything, he picked up a wooden pole. That's it. Nothing else. Obviously, my surprise wasn't hidden. What in the world was probably printed all over my face.  
  
"Yes, it's wood. I know, I know, you don't believe that I'd use a wooden pole against a sword, but I am." Something about this obviously bothered Tsuni.  
  
"Well, someone just got touchy," I drawled, rolling my eyes. I swore I saw a flush of color in his cheeks, because after that, I immediately cried out, "You're blushing!!"  
  
"No, I'm not," he said, shaking his head.  
  
"Yes, you were!!" I sang out, pointing a him. "You were too blush—!"  
  
"Ari! That's enough!" he snapped, eyes flashing. I stumbled backward, not used to the quick change of tone.  
  
"Yes, sir," I spat, sending an icy glare. He smirked.  
  
"Let's get going. Lunge at me," he called, pulling the pole away. He held both arms out, waiting for me to attack. I was dumbfounded.  
  
"Are you really that stupid?" I asked, tilting my head.  
  
"Just do it!" he cried, and I could hear a nervous air to his voice.  
  
"You got it!" I screamed, getting the message. I sprang forward, as easily as breathing, and pulled the sword forward, and almost slit him from navel to nose. Had he not moved. And, had he not jumped behind me and pulled the pole up so that it was across my throat, cutting off my air circulation. I was no challenge for him. I struggled for air, but it was no use. The sword I had slipped from my grasp minutes ago, so it's not like I could ram the blade through his intestines, but believe me, I would.   
  
I had no more strength left to elbow him in the stomach. My air was fading fast. I could feel my body slipping from the world of the living. My eyes started to feel heavy, and my lungs burned like nothing before. The excellent vision I once had was now shifting in and out of focus. With a last desperate attempt, I grabbed the pole just for a gasp of air. It was no use.  
  
I then heard a gentle whisper in my ear.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ari," he murmured, sighing, "It was either I kill you for the first match, or they send you out to war directly after this match had you won. Next time, I'll go a little easier."  
  
Next time?! Would there even be a next time?! Did that idiot notice I was dying?! 


	7. Means of Transportation

CHAPTER 6: MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION  
  
It's strange, the things that go through your head as you die.  
  
Many trails of unfinished things I had not done passed through my mind. I looked at Tsuni, and he gazed painfully at me. I guess my trainer didn't want to see me like this. He didn't want to see me die. Thankfully, he wasn't squeamish. That would've been horrible.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ari. The first death is always more painful than the rest. The others will be dull and still a bit painful, but the first death puts your immortality to the test. If your soul is strong, just as your outer being, you will be fine. If it is not as strong as your outer self, then you will die." Tsuni's gaze dropped, but he squeezed tighter. Air was useless. I couldn't get it. And this was painful.  
  
Ah, details, details. Well, my lungs felt as if they were on fire. I mean, burning charcoal. It was horrible. My body parts went numb, one-by-one. First, my legs, then my lower torso, then my upper torso, soon, my arms, and finally, my head and neck. I was numb all over. My body burned with pain no mortal could withstand for more than two seconds. I trembled, and would have screamed, had I had enough breath left. My last thoughts before I faded were, I don't think Mom would be too happy if I died.  
  
^Passage of Time^  
  
I awoke groggily, shaking my head. There above me, was a big silver thingy and it was moving. No…I was moving! I have no idea how, but, I was moving. Or flying. But, if I was flying, why was I bouncing? I imagine flying to be one smooth motion. Not a bumpy ride.   
  
I suddenly got it all back together. The 'big silver thingy' was the metal ceiling of the place I lived, or was imprisoned. I wasn't flying, either. I was being carried by strong arms. The reason the 'ride' was so bumpy was because the person who was carrying me was walking. Duh! But who was carrying me, right now, I didn't care.  
  
I really didn't want to wake up. But, hold on, why was I asleep in the first place? Oh, yeah. Now I remember. I died. I know. Just hearing the words 'I' and 'died' in the same sentence, right after each other, doesn't sound right. But, why am I back?  
  
I groaned and closed my eyes tight, nuzzling closer to whatever was holding me, and helping to get a little warmer.  
  
"Welcome back," came a soft and deep voice from right next to my ear.  
  
"Shut up, I'm not back completely," I murmured, closing my eyes tighter.  
  
"You have to wake up sometime," It came again. I recognized it. Tsunami.  
  
"No I don't," I growled, curling tighter. "Not when I'm dead, you idiot," I replied, sarcasm dripping from my voice.  
  
"You're alive again," he murmured, "be grateful for it."  
  
"I'd rather be dead," I whispered, thinking about the place I was in.  
  
"Why?" he asked, a little surprised.  
  
"I'm already in hell," I explained, shaking my head.  
  
"Why don't you leave?"   
  
"You speak blasphemy, sir."  
  
"Maybe. Maybe you're just too weak to escape." Tsuni smiled. My eyes shot open in surprise.  
  
"You're funny," I said, squirming. I really wanted to walk. It made me feel useless being carried by someone.  
  
"No, don't," he uttered, trying to restrain me. "You're legs aren't ready to walk yet."  
  
"Yes they are. I feel fine." I jerked in the wrong way, and a shooting pain shot through my entire body. It was extremely uncomfortable, and very painful. In other words, it hurt. And the pain lingered for a little longer.  
  
"I told you," he said when I gasped from the pain. It was sharp and acute. Not very pleasant. But hey, I helped cause it. I never should have tried to get up. He did warn me.  
  
"Oh, shut up," I murmured. I felt helpless. The fact that he had to carry me wasn't helping. I heard a door open, and was lain down on a cot. It was somewhat comfortable. But the bar was jamming into my back.  
  
"You'll be able to walk in a few hours, so get some sleep." He smiled at me, and walked out the door, closing it shut behind him.  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
Tsuni stepped briskly out of the door, and down the hallway, heart in his head, feeling lighter than air. He smiled to himself, and forced it back. Tsuni had to get to Council to hear their approval of Miss Niiran's and his training.  
  
Ari Kaanaxiaan, he thought, turning a corner, and walking down three flights of stairs. It sounds right. He shook his head, brushing away the thought.   
  
Outside of the door where Council was to begin, waited Dies. Tsuni walked up to Dies. Dies smiled.  
  
"Well, well, what have we here?" Dies asked, smiling. "Look at the ladies man."  
  
"Shut up," Tsuni said, smirking. "Another boring Council meeting awaits us."  
  
"The last one we went to wasn't boring," Dies said, referring to the one Ari and Kiara had attacked Snake.   
  
"That was because two pissed off Dragonesses were there," Tsuni pointed out, opening the door.  
  
Dies smiled, and it dropped immediately as he entered the room. Council Head smiled at the two young men as they walked in.  
  
"Excellent! You've filled out your promises perfectly." Council gestured for the two to sit down.   
  
They did, and as Tsuni went to sit down, he murmured, "I didn't enjoy it."  
  
Dies snickered in agreement. But he said quietly, "Neither did I."  
  
"And now that you two have gotten to know your partners," Council Head replied, oblivious to what they were saying, "I think it's time."  
  
"Time…for what?" Tsuni asked, suspicion creeping into his voice.  
  
"We have to speak about Niiran's and Santua's future, you know, as warlords, and after," he explained kindly.  
  
"What do you mean, 'and after?'" Dies asked, leaning forward and watching Council Head's expression carefully.  
  
Council Head smiled. "You are their after."   
  
"Huh?" Tsuni asked, taken aback.  
  
"Dies, I believe you and Ari would make a good couple, and Tsunaumi, you and Kiara would make a beautiful couple."  
  
"What?!" they both cried, rising to their feet.  
  
"Ari's practically a stranger to me!" Dies said, unbelieving.  
  
"As is Kiara!" Tsuni insisted.  
  
"Boys, boys," Council Head said, smiling and shaking his head, "what choice do you have?" His smile went down right evil. "You work for us, now, remember?"  
  
Tsuni was about to argue, but couldn't think of anything to say. He felt stupid, and that was one of the last things he was.  
  
"Well now boys, off you go. Don't keep them waiting." Council Head hurried out of the room, and opened the door. Tsuni and Dies walked forward, heads down. When Council Head left sight, Tsuni and Dies did the exact same thing. Punched the nearest wall. Dents were made, yes, but right now, they didn't care.  
  
"I don't believe that stupid old man!" Dies cried, shaking his fist.   
  
"I know," Tsuni muttered, removing his arm from the hole he created in the wall. "How could they do that? Haven't they heard of a thing called free will?"  
  
"I'd rather be dead…"  
  
Ari's words still lingered in his mind. He stopped and tried to think of why she said that.  
  
"I'm already in hell."  
  
Tsuni stopped, and looked at Dies. "Hey, Dies?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know what some of the first words Ari said after she woke up?"  
  
"No, I don't. You got to carry her." Dies smiled. "You like her."  
  
"Whatever. But what she said unnerved me. I told her, 'You have to wake up sometime,' and she said, 'I'd rather be dead,' and I asked, 'Why?' and she said, 'Because I'm already in hell.' Isn't that horrible? To want death?" Tsuni shook his head. Dies smile broadened.  
  
"You're so concerned for her," he teased, wagging his finger.  
  
"Shut up!" Tsuni shoved him playfully. "Hey, you got the hots for Kiara."  
  
"I never said that!" Dies said, stepping back.  
  
"You were thinking it," Tsuni murmured.  
  
Tsunaumi and Dies, report to your training partners immediately, the loudspeaker screeched.  
  
"Well, see ya, Tsuni," Dies said, turning. With a casual wave, he turned a corner, and disappeared.  
  
"Bye."  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
"Oww," I moaned, grabbing my head. I pulled my covers closer to my body. My room was dark, just a little. My head was killing me. I rolled onto my back and saw a huge dark shadowed figure standing hunched over me. Right above my bed. I reached down into my boot, acting as if I were asleep, and pulled my lucky dagger out of it, slipped it into my hand, and lashed out rationally at what was lumbering over me. It grabbed my wrist, pulled me up, slipped the blade from my hand, threw it across the room and twisted my arm behind my back. I recognized immediately who's grip it was.  
  
"Just because you're my training instructor doesn't give you the right to man-handle me!"I whimpered, twitching.  
  
"Hey, you tried to attack me when I came in here to see if you were okay!" he retaliated.  
  
"Sorry," I muttered, clutching my wrist. "I just get a little freaked out, you know?"  
  
"No, I don't know," Tsuni muttered. "Are you okay?"  
  
"No. I told you already, I'm in hell."  
  
^Passage of Time^  
  
About a week passed from Tsuni and my last chat. I told him how I felt about this place. Every time, he frowned. One night, he snuck in my room, and shook me, whispering for me to wake up.  
  
"Get up, Ari," he hissed, grabbing my forearm, and yanking me to my feet.  
  
"What is this? Early morning training now?" I yawned quietly and got to my feet.  
  
"Ari, you know how to operate a ship, don't you?" He asked quietly, walking over to my dresser, and throwing open all the drawers, and in a large sack, throwing all my clothes in it.  
  
"Hey!" I started but he cut me off with a glare. "Yes. I do."  
  
"Good. You can operate one of those Luxury Cruisers, can't you?" Tsuni gazed into my eyes.  
  
"Yes. What's this leading to?" Something was up. I could just smell it.  
  
"We've got our means of transportation!" Tsuni said.  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" He was talking in riddles and it was pissing me off.  
  
"Were breaking out of hell," he muttered, grabbing my arm and bolting out of the room.  
  
"Wait, stop, now!" I commanded. He did so. I jerked forward and landed right into his outstretched arms. "What are you saying?"  
  
"Not now. It's on a need-to-know basis, and right now you don't need to know." He grabbed my arm again and lurched forward, down stairways, me flying behind him, and then we stopped. Right in front of a ship. Kiara and Dies were already there, Kiara was half asleep.   
  
"I thought you'd never get here," Dies muttered, shaking his head. "She knows how?" Tsuni nodded. "Excellent. Now, give me the keys."  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
"Niiran," Snake spoke into the room, looking around. "Niiran, we have to speak. The Council needs to see you. Niiran? Niiran?! She's gone! That little witch ran? Clothes are gone, messy bed, she's escaped. SOUND THE ALARMS!" Snake hollered at the top of his lungs. "Dammit. Marina Oceana…that's who we need." He bolted from Ari's room, and to one half way across the ship. He opened the door to her room, and she was up and ready, already pulling out a black whip. Her waist length brown hair covered her attractive face and her greenish-blue eyes. She was about 5'10, and very athletic looking. Her agile appearance made her look to be weak. But she was far from it. "It's the hybrids. They've escaped."  
  
"I already know, Menace, you and I were assigned to the job. Did you not also notice that their training partners are missing?" She said in her calm and cool voice. "Let's go."  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
"Oh, gods, oh gods, not today, not today, they've sounded the alarms," I was repeating, in a panicky tone. Tsuni grabbed my shoulders and pulled me in an embrace.   
  
"Hush. It's okay. We can escape. Just stop panicking." He was calm. Something I'm not very good at being.  
  
"Someone's going to get hurt, I just know it," I whispered, trembling from fear.  
  
"If you stay calm, we can escape. We need you to pilot the ship while we hold off the guards." He grabbed my bag of clothes, threw them in the ship and let go of me. "We'll be fine. Our fate rests in your hands."  
  
"Why is it that I have this strange feeling that very shortly some people are going to die. Forever," I mumbled, and I knew this time my intuition was right.  
  
"Well, you're dead on, Niiran," came the worst person right now. Snake had found us.  
  
"What do you want?" I spat at him. My hands balled into fists. "Come to try and stop me?"  
  
"Oh, no," he said, trying to sound innocent, but guilt poured from him, "but my partner is."  
  
"Who?"   
  
"Ari, meet Marina Oceana, the Dark Executioner." He smirked, as a woman appeared at his back.  
  
"I don't believe you, Menace. First, you kill my parents and my baby brother, who wasn't even born yet, and then you come get someone else to come here and kill me? How predictive," I muttered, allowing my hands to become claws and my wings to appear. "So if you want to kill me, let's go."  
  
"What are you talking about?" came the soft female voice. "Not under these circumstances." A loud cracking sound was heard, and Snake dropped to his knees, obviously being electrocuted.  
  
"Marina?" he asked, once she was done, and he still remained on his knees. "What did you do to me?"  
  
"I never knew you killed the girls family. It's a shame, too." Marina smiled. "If I had known earlier, I would have given you to her. Oh, and Menace? It's the Dark Electrocutioner you idiot. Get it straight next time. Oops, sorry. There won't be a next time."  
  
"I knew I sensed death's smell. It's time to die, Snake." I smiled. Evilly.  
  
"Wait! Don't kill me! I have a family!! A mother and a father and a little," but that's where I cut him off.   
  
"Oh, you have a family? Yippee for you! You killed mine! Now, what comes around goes around." I walked over to Tsuni and said, "This could get nasty."  
  
Then I walked over to Snake, took my claw, and ripped open his stomach. From his belly button, to the bottom of his throat, I slit him up. He tried to scream in pain, but only choked on his own blood. Next, I reached in, grabbed his heart, then ripped it out, and held it tauntingly in front of him. He cried violently. The little hole that Kiara had punctured his lungs, well, I made it bigger. Then, just as he died I said, "Burn in hell." His eyes slid into the back of his head, and he died. As a memento, I took one of his ribs, cracked it from his right side, and wiped it off on his shirt. Blood stained my hands, but I wiped them off on his pants.  
  
As I walked onto the ship, I saw Kiara staring at me, then she patted my back. "I know, Ari, I know." I sighed heavily, and turned to look back. I can't believe I killed him…What have I done? 


	8. On The Run

CHAPTER 7: ON THE RUN  
  
Shuddering slightly, I went to close the door, when a laser gun let off a shot and hit me right in my arm. Crying out in alarm, I jumped into the closest crack, or crevice. Kiara jumped out of the ship, hands were claws, wings out, eyes reptilian. She lunged at Commander Carl, who had just got done shooting my arm, then started freaking out because he saw Snake's lifeless body and tried to run. Next thing I knew she took the gun, fired one at point blank, right in Commander Carl's groin. Next one was in his arm because he shot me there, another in his stomach, and the last one right in his face.  
  
As she bolted into the ship, I shut the door and ran to the main control panels. Tsuni and Dies had already started the ship and were firing up its defenses. All the men outside who were trying to get at us were shot, as an instant death. Marina was firing the guns. "I already had my things ready. Tsunaumi and I struck a deal. I hinted Council that you guys were planning escape. Snake and I were assigned to the job. So, I brought him here, and you killed him as I expected. By the way, my name is," she started, but I cut her off before she could finish.  
  
"There's no time for introductions," I said, sitting at main control.  
  
Tsuni looked over at me and saw my half-mutilated arm. "What the hell happened?"  
  
"Commander Carl shot me. Kiara took care of him," I informed him.  
  
"Okay, everyone's on board? The engine's running?" Tsuni asked, getting some last minute info on the ship's status.  
  
"Just shut up and let's drive!" I yelled, firing up the turbo, singing all those behind us and getting connection with Departure. "Open the damn gates!" I screamed at the pleasant looking woman on the screen.  
  
"Nope, sorry, I can't do that," the lady said, looking at one of her perfectly manicured nails, then said, "it's against ship codes."  
  
"Kiara!" I yelled. She took the second gun, and fired a shot into the glass office where the lady was.  
  
"Now, before I blow a hole in that pretty little face of yours, open the damn gates!" I was getting impatient, and my arm was killing me. It was healing, but slowly.  
  
The woman looked startled. "Ready for departure," she said, shakily.  
  
"Straight up," I muttered, when the doors, or the gates opened up, and we were out. Gone. I put the ship into hyper drive and we were off, almost faster than the speed of light.  
  
Loud cheering erupted behind me.  
  
"We're out!! We're free!" Kiara was saying, smiling.   
  
Dies walked in and gave us the thumbs up sign. "Gravity suppressors seem to be working fine. And no one's following us."  
  
"Considering their commanding officers are dead, I wouldn't follow me either," I muttered dryly, cringing from the pain in my arm.  
  
"Are you okay, Ari?" Tsuni asked, walking over and inspecting my wound.  
  
"Just peachy," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "Ow!" I screeched, when he touched it. "Don't touch that!"  
  
"Don't be such a baby," he muttered, looking even closer. "Oh! Not only did the shot set a huge wound," he explained, "but it dislocated your shoulder. That's why you're not healing as fast as you should be." He grabbed the bottom of my arm, and did exactly what I didn't want him to do. He jerked the shoulder back into place. I screamed in agony, and dropped out of the chair to my knees.  
  
"Why did you do that?" I asked quietly, trying to find my voice. It barely came out in a whisper.  
  
"I had to do that," he muttered, helping me to my feet. My shoulder was healing abnormally fast now. It was half way closed when I noticed Marina was staring.  
  
"What?" I asked calmly.  
  
"That's just interesting. How you heal so fast," she explained. It was already healed. "I have to wear armor and it takes weeks for something like that to heal on me."  
  
"Well, that's what happens when you're half-Dragon." I smiled.   
  
"Don't move, Ari," Tsuni muttered, grabbing my arm. Once he had a firm hold, he started to rotate my shoulder. It hurt for a couple seconds, but then the rotating made it feel better. "Better?"  
  
"Yes," I nodded, then I yawned. "What time is it?" I asked, yawning loudly.  
  
"It's three in the morning," Dies muttered, when I got to my feet.  
  
"Where's the closest bedroom?" I asked, eyes drooping. I can't believe they had to bust out at three in the morning. I can't believe people were actually awake at three in the morning.  
  
"Down the hall and to the right. Everyone gets a room to themselves. Tsuni and Ari, since you are the ship's main drivers, your rooms are across from each other, the closest ones to the control panel." Dies was holding up this paper that seemed to be the ships map, and the room arrangements. "Marina, your room's next to Ari's, my rooms right next to Tsuni's and Kiara, you're room's next to mine. We have one last room on this floor next to Marina's. All okay? Anyone against it?" No one answered. "Good. If you're tired, you can go to bed."  
  
Everyone got up and walked away. Dies did the same. "G'night all!" I called out sleepily.  
  
There were a couple replies some mumbles and Tsuni said, "Sleep well."  
  
When I walked into the room, I nearly fainted. There was a bed. I mean, an actual bed. Even a pillow. I was impressed. I hopped onto the bed, and lay back. It was soft, and cushy, and deep, like the ocean. I started to drift off when a small intercom came on next to my bed. There was a voice on it. I didn't recognize it. I was too tired to anyway. It said, "I love you, Ari. Sweet dreams."^ Passage of Time^I awoke that morning, early, for once. And another surprise is that I didn't have that same dream that night. It was different. I was flying over an ocean, and someone was at my side. Right when I looked over to see whom it was, I woke up. It was eleven a.m. Or at least that's what my bedside clock read. I got up and inspected my new room. I looked in my dresser. Everything was in order. Over on my door, there was a map of the ship. The kitchen was on the floor below this one. Then I looked over at my bed. Right by it was a little intercom with a small speaker. How interesting, I thought, looking curiously.  
  
I left out of my room, and walked down the steps to the kitchen. Tsunaumi was already there, a pot of coffee made.   
  
"Good morning," he said, smiling. "Sleep well?"  
  
"Better than I have in fourteen years," I muttered, sitting down.  
  
"Coffee?" he asked, looking over at me.  
  
"Yes, please," I mumbled, sighing.  
  
He was already up and fixing the cup. "Creamer?"  
  
"Milk."  
  
"Sugar?"  
  
"Thirteen, please," I said, smiling at the reaction.  
  
"Three?"  
  
"Thirteen. You know, ten plus three?"  
  
"Man, that's enough to kill you," he said, counting and putting in all the scoops. I grabbed the coffee, and took a long drink. "And that doesn't even give you a headache?"  
  
"Kiara puts twenty-six," I muttered, snickering when he frowned. "Just kidding. She only puts twelve."  
  
"It's still no better," he said, shaking his head sadly.  
  
"Oh, shut up," I sighed, patting his shoulder.  
  
"Good morning you two," came Dies sleepy yawn from the doorway. "Coffee. Tsuni, I didn't know you cared!" Dies faked shock.  
  
"Knock it off," Tsuni muttered, handing him a cup of coffee he had already made.   
  
"Thank you," Dies said, taking a sip. When he put his cup down, the ship gave a huge jerk, and a red light started flashing. Next thing I knew, all three of us were floating in the air, as was my coffee. I grabbed for it quickly and I drank the rest of it before it could fly off.  
  
"Dies!!" Tsuni yelled, a look of pure disgust on his face.  
  
"What? I checked the Gravity Suppressor for anything wrong, you know, rust, and such. Nothing. It was fine. Except for that loose screw I seemed to have looked over," Dies muttered most of the last part, but Tsuni still heard enough.  
  
"If you don't get down there right now, I'll kill you," Tsuni muttered, shaking his head. The next thing he did, shocked me to the max. He started laughing. Hysterically. I ended up joining him. It was five minutes we were laughing, I was holding onto his shoulder then I had to stop to breathe.  
  
"Why are we laughing?" I asked, out of breath.  
  
"Because Dies is such an idiot. I can't believe he can make me so mad at his stupidity," Tsuni was shaking his head. He gave a last chuckle, then, the gravity turned back on, and we both went tumbling to the floor. I hit my head on the counter. Then I landed on top of Tsuni in a most 'interesting' position.  
  
"Ari? Are you okay?"  
  
"Mmft err fut," I said. It's not what I wanted to say, though. I wanted to say 'Ow, my head' but that's not what came out.  
  
"Do you think you can stand up?" he asked, blushing furiously.  
  
"Dunt tink fat vay!" I said. I wanted to say 'Don't think that way!' There was one problem. My head hurt like heck. I tried to get to my knees, but I only fell back down.  
  
"Tsuni, I fixed it, you don't have to kill me," Dies said when he walked in but trailed off. Then he started laughing.  
  
"Dies! Help her up! She cracked her head on the counter! Now she can't talk straight," Tsuni muttered, glaring.  
  
"Just shove her off," Dies said, pulling out a thing I dreaded most. A camera. FLASH. Of course he has to be the one to take the picture.  
  
"Nu suv or e nitch!" I spat, but I can't tell you what I wanted to say. Dies walked over and gently rolled me onto my back, off of Tsuni. "Fanks."  
  
"Ari, are you okay?" Tsuni asked, unable to hide his concern.  
  
"Peachy," I muttered, regaining my ability to talk normally again. "Why is it that every time we meet, I end up on the ground?" I asked, rolling my eyes.  
  
"I have no idea." Tsuni smiled and stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. When I tried to walk away, I lost my balance and nearly face-planted myself in the ground had Tsuni not threw his arms out and grabbed my around my waist, helping me regain my balance.  
  
"You've really got to stop doing that," I muttered, turning to face him.  
  
"Stop what?" he asked. I was lost in his eyes. They were so handsome and green.  
  
"Holding me," I whispered. I could feel myself blushing. FLASH. It was Dies.  
  
"If I let go of you now, you'd fall," Tsuni's replied calmly. He sidestepped in some weird way that made him look like a penguin and sat me on a stool. "You okay?"  
  
"A little water and some ice would be great," I mumbled, smiling.  
  
"That's it?" he asked, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. "Sure you don't want a Tylenol?"  
  
"What?" I asked, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"Tylenol. It's a medicine in a little capsule that helps headaches," Tsuni informed me, handing me the water.  
  
"Interesting," I said, looking at him.  
  
"You've never heard of them?" he asked, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise.  
  
"No," I said flatly.  
  
"You are so Medieval," Tsuni said, smiling.  
  
"Shut up," I was quick to shoot back.  
  
"You know, for a Medieval Women you're very familiar with the common phrases on Earth."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
"You use 'shut up' very frequently. Normally, Medieval Women say 'silence' and whatnot." He smiled and handed ma a little plastic thing in the shape of an oval. It was half red and half yellow.  
  
"Well, silence! What is this?" It was so small. My pinky nail was bigger than it, though it was almost as long.  
  
"It's the Tylenol," Tsuni smiled. I popped the pill in my mouth only to spit it out into my hand.  
  
"That's disgusting!" I spat, sticking my tongue out. "If you wanted to poison me, you could've just told me that!"  
  
"It's not poison," Tsuni explained calmly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "It's not supposed to taste good, either."  
  
"Great. So, you're telling me you want me to eat some disgusting plastic thing to help my head get better?" He nodded. "All right." I muttered some colorful words and placed it in my mouth, and drank some water to help it get down. "How long will it take?"  
  
"About twenty minutes." Tsuni then got up and said, "In the mean time, you'll have to sit there. Hungry?"  
  
"Yeah. Wait…you can cook too?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is there anything you can't do?" 


	9. Accidents HappenA Lot

CHAPTER 8: ACCIDENTS HAPPEN…A LOT  
  
Breakfast was great. Soon after the smell wafted through the ship, everyone was downstairs, looking for some. There was a few of people walking downstairs, talking and giggling, stating loudly, "That smells so good!"  
  
Well, breakfast was eggs, bacon, toast and french toast for those who didn't want eggs. I had a funny thing called a cheese omelet. It was delicious. Kiara had the same thing. Then we got Orange Juice. It was so good! Normally in the ships cafeteria there was only 'Slop,' that had our servings of vegetables, grain and meat. Then they gave us water or coffee. Fruit was too expensive. What an excuse!  
  
When I asked Tsuni where he got all of this food and such, he merely replied with a smile and a wink saying, "I have sources."  
  
Well, everyone laughed and chatted. The ship was on automatic, so our course was set. No one had to worry about driving.  
  
"That was great, Tsuni," I said, getting up. I cleared the table and took the dishes to the sink, and started to wash the dishes. Tsuni walked to my side and started to dry them. Once all of them were washed, I helped Tsuni dry. Marina and Kiara walked out, talking about something. I smiled to myself. It seems those two made friends, I thought, handing Tsuni a dish absentmindedly. He put it away.  
  
"It's a good thing, too," I heard Tsuni mutter under his breath. "Better than them being enemies."  
  
"How did you know that?" I asked, my breath catching in my throat.  
  
"Know what?" he was quick to shoot back.  
  
"You blew it, man," Dies replied, looking at me.  
  
"What are you guys talking about? How did he know what I was thinking?" I asked. This was a complete shock for me.   
  
"Allow me to save you the trouble, Tsuni. Ari, sweetheart, sorry I didn't tell you before, but we're telepathic and telekinetic."  
  
"Woah," I sighed, lowering myself into a chair.  
  
"I know, it's kinda tough. Just don't tell the other girls. It might startle them and they won't even talk to us. Okay?" Dies asked, looking me square in the eye.  
  
"Uh, sure." I felt a little shaken. This is so weird, I thought, trying not to project.  
  
"I know what you mean," Tsuni muttered, drying the last dish. "Oh, sorry," he muttered, when he saw me send a glare at him.  
  
"I'll be back in an hour," I muttered, rising from the table and exiting the room.  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
"You are so whipped!" Dies cried, pointing at Tsuni just as Ari left.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She's got you wrapped around her finger," he cackled, smiling in a cocky manner.  
  
"Shut up," Tsuni said, sticking his tongue out at Dies. "Kiara's got you."  
  
"Yeah right!" Dies cried, standing up and glaring at Tsuni. Tsuni glared back. "Okay, okay. Maybe she does, just a little bit. But Ari has you worse."  
  
"No, she doesn't!"  
  
"Yes, she does!"  
  
"No, she doesn't!"  
  
"Yes, she does!"  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
"Where is the bathroom," I muttered, looking at the map in my room. I found it. It was two floors down, right below the kitchen. "Awesome." I left my room and walked down the hallway, to the staircases and bolted down to the bathroom. It was empty. I closed the door and turned on the water. It came out nice and hot. I let the bath fill up, then I threw all my clothes across the room and jumped in. No wonder why they call this ship the Luxury Cruiser, I thought, smiling to myself. I dunked my head under the water and came out from under the water, wiping water from my eyes. Then I started to do something I hadn't done in fourteen years. I started to hum.  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
"Where is that bathroom?" Tsuni asked himself, looking at his map. Two floors below the kitchen. There was another one down the hall from it, but he wanted to get into the closest one. "Perfect." He ran down the staircases and when he was on the last stair he heard a very beautiful sound. Mournful, sweet, and hypnotizing. He moved closer to the sound, only to see a half way ajar door. When he heard that beautiful music, he was entranced, and forgot what he was about to do, or wanted to do. All he could hear was this soft seductive lulling, constant and always on beat, pausing here and then. Obviously, it was the Siren pausing to take a breath before the next note came to life from her.   
  
Tsuni paused hesitantly, not knowing what this door was, or why it was open. He then saw it. A loose bolt. Maybe she didn't want anyone to hear, whoever this mysterious woman was, and the door came open. He pushed the door all the way open, and it didn't make a sound. Tsuni was thankful. What he saw was a back turned to him, in a tub. She had blue hair and blond tips and highlights. Everything came tumbling down on him, just then.   
  
In the tub, that was Ari. Ari was humming, and she was…Tsuni couldn't bare to think it. But he couldn't take his eyes off her. Her soft sweet lulling song, gentle swaying as she cleaned between her fingers.  
  
He had to move, and he had to move fast. If she turned around just an inch, she'd see him, and she'd be dead. Tsuni made the big mistake of exhaling loudly.  
  
~Switch Point of View~  
  
I jerked and stopped humming immediately once I heard someone behind me exhale. There he was standing, staring. I crossed my arms over my chest, and crossed my legs, just in case he was staring.  
  
He jumped back in alarm. "No, Ari, it's not what you think!"  
  
"Really? You'd know exactly what I think, wouldn't you?" I spat, anger rising in my throat. I was going to get him back for this. I know I didn't even think of a bath until I went upstairs, but, was he reading my mind all that time? "Stop reading my mind!"  
  
"Stop projecting such angry thoughts," he said, turning around. That only got me madder.  
  
"Get out!" I screeched, grabbing the closest thing to me and throwing it at him. It was a bar of soap. It bounced off the back of his head and he turned around, a look of pure anger on his face. I threw the next closest thing at him. A glass bottle of bath crystals. It smashed right into his face, and shattered, cutting him right under his eye.  
  
"Ow, it cut me!" He looked at me confused and pulled out the sharp shard of glass. Then he blinked. "Ow, bath crystals in my eyes!" He clasped his hands to his eyes, and started rubbing them fiercely, and walking blindly into the door frame. I started to scream at him 'Other way!' but he wasn't listening to me. He reached out, looking for a towel and stumbled over the sink, bashed into the toilet, into the door, slamming it shut and stumbled forward, right over the tub's corner, and landed right in the tub, just before I could hop out, right on top of me. 


End file.
